SAMSUNG S5 vs. HTC ONE M8

Are you finding it difficult to choose which mobile phone to upgrade to?

The Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8 are the two flagship phones of the year, and two of the most searched for mobile phones in the last month on online.

We are providing you with a review of the different features so that you choose which is better.

DISPLAY QUALITY

The display of the One (M8) is 0.1 inch smaller than the Galaxy S5, but its screen is actually sharper. Its pixel density, measured in pixels per inch of display, is around 2% higher than the display of the Galaxy S5.

BATTERY PERFORMANCE

Both the GS5 and One M8 have terrific battery life. Battery capacity is the most accurate indicator of overall battery performance, and both of these phones have capacities above the average of 1,750 mAh.

However, both phones also have a terrific new feature that can really extend your battery life in a second. Samsung’s is the GS5’s Ultra Power Saving Mode launched in February. Switch the feature on, and it will shift its screen to black & white and severely limit background processes. You’re left with email, text messaging, a web browser, and a few other options. Samsung says that Ultra Power Saving Mode will give you an extra 24 hours of battery life from just 10 percent juice.

HTC has a similar power saving tendency. The HTC Extreme Power Saving Mode provides basically the same function, with the added bonus that you can set HTC’s to kick in automatically when your battery dips to a certain level.

PORTABILITY

If portability and ease of use are important, the Galaxy S5 is the right choice between these two phones. The HTC One M8 is 3 percent longer and 16 percent thicker than the GS5. But those are pretty minor discrepancies. On top of being 9.375% lighter than the One (M8), the Galaxy S5 is also thinner. Even with a typical protective case, the Galaxy S5 is will still be as thin as an average phone. Another plus is the pleather finish at the back that makes it more comfortable to hold.

CAMERA

Both phones have good cameras – as does basically every high-end smartphone produced in recent times. The GS5’s has a much higher resolution (16 MP to the One’s 4 MP), but the One’s camera has a few perks of its own.

The biggest is the One’s low-light capabilities. The One also has a second camera on its back side, devoted to sensing depth which provides more camera features to play around with.

AESTHETICS

Cosmetically, and in terms of build quality the One M8 is one of the most stunning smartphones ever made, with its aluminum unibody design unlike the S5’s plastic/leather finish. The Galaxy S5’s faux leather finish does, however, have a couple of perks. First, it helps to make the GS5 9 percent lighter than the One M8. But, more importantly, its slightly soft-touch pleather finish makes it more comfortable to hold.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES

The Galaxy S5’s killer feature is its IP67 water resistance. That means it can soak in 1 meter (3.3 ft) of water for 30 minutes without any problems as long as its battery and charging covers are sealed shut.

The GS5 also has a heart rate monitor. It lives on the phone’s back side, just below its rear camera, and is tied to Samsung’s S Health app making the Galaxy S5 is the first phone to include a dedicated pulse sensor

Samsung also included a fingerprint scanner in the Galaxy S5. The GS5’s home button doubles as a biometric sensor: just swipe your finger across it to unlock your otherwise passcode-protected phone.

The biggest perk that the GS5’s fingerprint sensor has is its integration with third-party apps. You can use your print to login to PayPal and authorize PayPal transactions.

HTC also has some distinctive features of its own, like the HTC’s Motion Launch which is a set of motion sensor-based shortcuts that let you jump to different areas of your phone a little quicker than you’d otherwise be able to.

One example: when holding your One M8 in portrait mode with the screen off, you can just swipe up on the screen to jump straight to your home screen.